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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The church of Notre-Dame de Reutenburg, located at the so-called Reinacker near the eponymous village in the Lower Rhine, is mentioned for the first time in 1367, although architectural elements suggest an earlier origin, dating back to the late 13th century. His choir, rebuilt between 1423 and 1435, bears inscriptions attesting to this period, while the nave, vaulted from 1410 onwards, was the work of the masterpiece Ludeman Gilge, also administrator of the pilgrimage. The works, financed by the faithful, were carried out over several centuries, with frequent interruptions.

The cross tower, the last major stage of reconstruction, was only completed in 1693, under the impulse of the Abbé de Marmoutier Gregory. In the 19th century, the church became the seat of the Franciscan Sisters of Mercy (1827) and underwent minor changes, such as the replacement of the high altar in 1752 or the addition of a statue of the Virgin in 1827. Its architecture combines a nave in the hall (three equal height vessels) and a choir with nonagonal apse, a rare typology in Alsace.

Ranked a historic monument in 1935, the church preserves traces of its medieval past, such as the marks of taskers on the columns or coat of arms of the lords of Ochsenstein (circa 1420). Its western portal, decorated with an inscription dated 1410, and its windows with decorated networks (lancettes, trilobes) illustrate the influence of Strasbourg Cathedral. The site, surrounded by a cemetery, remains linked to an authorized pilgrimage in 1813, despite revolutionary upheavals.

The building also incorporates later elements, such as a painted stand (scenes of the Life of the Virgin) or convent buildings added in the 19th and 20th centuries. Historical sources, including the works of Théodore Rieger or Robert Metzger, highlight his spiritual and architectural role in the region, between Gothic heritage and modern adaptations.

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